The Jazz Journalists Association seeks applicants for new leadership of the organization, as longtime president-executive director Howard Mandel retires from a post he’s held since 1994.
Mandel — an author, editor, educator, event and media producer based in Chicago — leaves on a high note, with the international active JJA membership now more than 250; projects such as The Buzz podcast in full flurry; the far-reaching annual Jazz Heroes citations ongoing and Jazz Awards having just celebrated their 30th year, and The Jazz Omnibus: 21st Century Photos and Writings by Members of the JJA, published by Cymbal Press in 2024, an unrivaled anthology. Mandel intends to remain involved with the JJA on a per-project basis.
Uncertainties about the organization’s 2026 operating budget have delayed the processes of realistically defining and interviewing several current candidates, but recent information suggests good news on the financial front may be in the offing. Mandel officially ends his tenure Dec. 31, 2025.
“I’m proud of the JJA,” he’s said, “but I believe it’s time for change, for fresh perspectives, current contacts, another vision of jazz journalism’s future. I’m in good health and spiritis, and have a lot of creative goals. The JJA’s not getting rid of me — I’ll keep editing JJANews, and always want to hear from JJA members with stories for it. I’ll be around, just not driving it all.”
Leadership of the JJA, he said, requires familiarity with music journalism in the present media landscape and jazz’s distinct position as an art-entertainment form, evolving genre and multi-faceted ecosystem. It also requires comprehension of fundamental, ethnical and journalistic practices and values.
The Executive Director is the chief executive officer of the Association, authorized to: (a) preside over all meetings of the Board and of the Members; (b) exercise general management authority over the business of the Association; and (c) carry out or cause all orders and resolutions of the Board to be effected. The Executive Director is ex-officio a member of all standing committees and has the general powers and duties of supervision and management usually vested in the office of executive director of a not-for-profit corporation.
The Executive Director must be able to edit WordPress and Google documents, work in Wild Apricot (the JJA database) and supervise use of diverse social media platforms. They must respond in a timely manner to correspondence from JJA members, the JJA board and its contractors. The Executive Director has supervisory responsibilities for the JJA Treasury and Treasurer, the JJA Secretary, JJA archives and platforms including the websites JJANews.org and JJAJazzAwards.org, any and all JJA publications, messages and other programs or projects such as Jazz Hero and Jazz Awards campaigns, and fundraising efforts. The Executive Director may initiate or suspend projects, in consultation with the board and JJA members.
Presidential duties involve public and industry presentations, as well as responsibility to and identification with the goals and interests of members of the Jazz Journalists Association.
JJA board members are: Bob Blumenthal, Susan Brink, Andy Gilbert, Terri Hinte, Rick Mitchell, Don Palmer and Neil Tesser, with Carolyn McClair on leave-of-absence.
Please send inquires and resumes (as attachments) to: Admin@JazzJournalists.org.
